
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 10, 1993                   TAG: 9311100161
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BOUCHER BILL WOULD CREATE NATIONAL SCIENCE COUNCIL

Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, wants to raise the importance of science and technology policy in the White House.

Boucher, chairman of the science subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, introduced a bill Tuesday that would create a "National Science and Technology Council," similar to the National Security Council.

The job of the council would be to plan and coordinate federal research and development policies.

At the core of the bill, Boucher said, is a requirement that the president submit an annual report to Congress outlining his science and technology priorities along with a coordinated research budget for governmental agencies.

Priorities now are poorly established, Boucher said. The nation's $70 billion federal research budget is scattered among 20 agencies and departments where conflicting decisions often are made, he said.

The bill is a result of an ongoing review of U.S. science policy by Boucher's subcommittee and by an advisory group of 20 leaders from industry, academia and government. Former Virginia Tech President James McComas and acting President Paul Torgersen are members of the advisory group.

by CNB